Intent: To voice farmers' anger and frustration at the ever-increasing administrative burden being placed on them which has had a major impact on farm family incomes.::These frustrations have broadened into anger with European and National lawmakers over the massive increase in regulations relating to Agriculture. The EU, the Irish Government and local Government are devising policies far from the farm gate with little or no consideration of the direct impact on farmers.::The following are some of the key issues that are contributing to growing frustration and anger with the political system::1. The transformation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) away from supporting food production towards actually reducing farm output. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funding is being redirected to environmental schemes – the EU is effectively implementing new environmental regulations such as the “eco-schemes” on the cheap by redirecting existing funding instead of allocating additional funds.::2
Details: Offaly County Council - Enough is Enough Campaign
Intent: Intention was to introduce ourselves to the local council, to establish a relationship with the councillors and to get support for the proposed project, within the local council.
Details: Introductions with local councillors in Edenderry, introducing Regnum Renewables, informing them of a wind farm that we hope to get planning permission for in the townlands of Clonarrow or Riverlyons.
Calls with local councillors to arrange in-person meetings, in order to introduce Regnum and the proposed project. - Phone callDaragh Browne (Community Liaison Officer) emails to localcouncillors to arrange meetings, in order to introduce Regnum andthe proposed project. - EmailIssued a flyer and a cover letter, outlining our plans and proposed project in the area to all 6 listed Edenderry councillors.The flyer included details of the proposed project, overview of the process for a wind farm planning application including timelines, potential benefits for the community and wider benefits of deploying renewable projects.The letter noted our community engagement plans and availability for an in person meeting. - Letter
Intent: To highlight the serious issues facing farmers.::To engage with government Ministers and TD's to discuss how some of these issues could be resolved in next months budget.::To run a poster campaign on all routes to the Championships to highlight urgent issues including; The delay in farm scheme payments, the proposed cut in the Nitrates Derogation limit, the problems associated with the new Beef Suckler Scheme, supports for the sheep farmers, problems in the forestry sector and supports for the tillage sector.
Details: National Ploughing Championships 2023 - IFA Stand
In person at the National Ploughing lobbied for the delivery of the National Planning guidelines and planning issues facing young dwellers of rural ireland - Lobby day
Intent: Raise awareness of recently published Equestrian Breeding & Sport Environmental Insights report and opportunity for industry to make environmental improvements through enhanced financial support and policy supports across both breeding and sport
Details: Increase in support available to equestrian industry to adopt environmental and sustainability measures
Intent: Deferment of the introduction of the proposed Defective Concrete Products Levy by Government, pending a regulatory and economic impact analysis. Subsequently, exclusion of precast products entirely from the scope of the Defective Concrete Products Levy and agreement on transitionary measures to assist in compliance with the Defective Concrete Products Levy.
ICF encouraged its members to call each of their local elected representatives on the negative impacts of the Defective Concrete Products Levy. - Phone callICF encouraged its members to email each of their local elected representatives on the negative impacts of the Defective Concrete Products Levy. - EmailICF encouraged its members to meet each of their local elected representatives on the negative impacts of the Defective Concrete Products Levy. - Meeting
Requested increased access and participation for disabled people to public spaces and services - Emailincreasing access and participation for disabled people to public spaces and services with John Clendennen and Brian Pey. Another with Monica Cleary - Meeting
Intent: To highlight the concerns that farmers have, given the difficulties 2023 has presented and how the upcoming Budget 2024 can help address some of those challenges.::To highlight that the new National Beef Welfare Scheme (NBWS) is a poorly designed scheme. The payment per farmer is far too low and on too few cows. Most of it will leak to vets, laboratories and others.::To insist that this scheme must be redesigned; practical measures included; payment rates increased; and ceilings brought in line with the BEEP-S it is replacing.::To highlight that the lack of action by the management authorities of the River Shannon has resulted in thousands of acres of silage and hay being destroyed and unsalvageable.::To highlight farmers' concerns, which were raised in advance of the bad weather, but the delay of action has farmers across the Shannon Callows concerned for the supply of fodder for the forthcoming winter.::To highlight that continued rises in costs, while below Russia/Ukraine war peaks
Intent: To highlight that Ireland's beef sector is the largest farm sector by farmer number with over 100,000 farmers involved.::To emphasise that the single most important component of this sector is the suckler herd with 60,000 farms. The sector generated €2.52bn in export value for the economy in 2022 an increase of 18% in value exporting 512k/t of primary beef to the UK, EU and international markets.::To highlight that, as a direct result of Government failure to provide meaningful levels of direct targeted support for suckler cows, these suckler farm numbers and numbers of suckler cows on these farms continue to decline.::To make Government aware that the rate of decline continues at approx. 3% per year with suckler cow numbers fast approaching a critical point where this national resource will no longer be the mainstay of our beef sector, fundamentally changing the landscape of Irish beef production and the production systems on which access to key high value markets has been secured for
Intent: To highlight the impact of the proposed Nature Restoration Law by the European Union, which will enact legally binding targets on Ireland, up until the year 2050, across a broad range of ecosystems, from agricultural land and forests, to rivers and marine habitats, to meet our restoration targets and obligations and how farmers will be the most impacted by the outcome of this Law.::To highlight how, as agricultural land accounts for approximately 67% of Ireland's total land area and forests account for approximately 11% of the total land area, the proposed regulation will have far reaching consequences for Irish agriculture. It is vital a full impact assessment is undertaken to quantify the area of farmland that will be affected to ensure that the proposed targets are realistic and fair and are not detrimental to the continuity of farming in Ireland.::To emphasise how the lack of clarity in relation to the some of the proposed measures and the potential impact on farmland and productio
